| REVIEW: Bike storage Endo...

Today I have decided to finish installing the vertical bike storage we received a few months ago, our little living room is a mess and it needed serious decluttering. I have ordered the Cycloc Endo after researching online for a while about the most minimalist and efficient bike rack solutions, and ended up choosing this one; it's a simple yet very smart Award-winning design.

The installation is pretty straight forward and does not require too many tools, there are only 4 screws/anchors and you can use the packaging as a drilling template, which is very practical. Drill, screw and tadaaa it's done. I really like the discreet hollow hinge in which you could slide your bike lock, clever! There is also a rear pad included that you can stick to the wall.

It works really well and we are happy with the result, the blue color contrasts nicely with our orange wall and having the bikes stored vertically definitely helps declutter our entrance.

• CONS:

- Not a lot of problems so far, it's a great product but it comes at a nice price too, there is a weight limit of 13kg to hang your bikes freely and a maximum payload limit of 20kg. You can certainly find other solutions at a lower price depending on what you are looking for and your storage space.

• PROS:

- 7 different bright colors to choose from. Stylish, convenient and smart design with a solid and light composite construction. It works great for us!

| REVIEW: Rip Curl Flashbomb...

Yesterday i have finally decided to get a serious wetsuit after some very interesting discussions with our local surfer guru Igor Goni. I already own an Ocean Rodeo Soul drysuit but it is not the most practical piece of equipment for surfing, especially when you need to swim a lot after your board.  I had narrowed down my search on three 2016 winter specific models; the Rip Curl Flashbomb,  the O'Neill Heat and the Patagonia R4. Although the only one i could find around here and try was the 1st one, a big thank to the guys at La Boutique Sharks for their patience and help.

Also, i needed a good break from my intense weekend workload, the temperature was perfect today at about 4ºC (39.2 F) and the sun was definitely screaming for a test ride! My neighbour and surf partner Patrick was available for some camera work (and safety). We walked to the closest shore on the St-Laurent river. That's the beauty of living 2mn from the water in Verdun :)

Now about the infamous Rip Curl Flash Bomb Hooded Chest Zip 5.5/4, it is one of the warmest, lightest winter wetsuit designed for frigid waters and it has won many Awards (3x SIMA). Guess that's exactly what i need around here.
The exterior is made out of their E4 neoprene, a very stretchy material, especially considering this thickness, they use different panels to allow for better movement (4 way back stretch, contour legs, mesh skin...etc.) and reliable stitch-less seams everywhere but the arms (Aquaban plus liquid tape, E4 + tape). This all sound like good marketing terms to say that they know how to make a good wetsuit, and the result is quite impressive.
The greatest thing must be their E4 Flash Dry Lining, it is extremely warm and insulates all the vital areas of your body, this also explains why at only 5.5mm it does the same job as a classic 7mm neoprene. They advertise it as being the fastest drying wetsuit on the market and even though i can not prove it, there are a lot of reviews/posts online to support that statement.

I live in a small semi-basement apartment with poor lighting and small windows, my other suits take a long time to dry and this one was definitely the 1st one to be ready for the next session. My Xcel Drylock 7mm booties were still soaked the day after in comparison. 

The water was pretty cold but i really did not feel it, in fact, when i took off the wetsuit, which demands some effort (more of that later), it was damp from all my sweat.

• CONS:

- It's difficult to see any major problems with this suit to be honest but one of the main inconvenience comes from its Chestzip Entry system. There is a very tight front closure system and the very first time to try to get in, it will take ALL of your energy, no kidding. Fortunately it gets better with time and i find it easier to put it on/off now. When you're used to a back or front zip then this is going to be a big change :) the positive thing though, is that once you're inside, it's very comfy and feels like there are no zip parts at all.

- It allows you to surf in difficult conditions but unlike the summer suits, you wouldn't want to let yourself "leak" in this one, which means going back to shore for a little break or make sure you've done it before your session, this is where my drysuit and its relief zipper get an advantage :) Rip curl please add a pipi-zip!

- Like any of the high end and heavier wetsuits it is also a bit more expensive (~ $500 CAD), still it's cheap in comparison to an equivalent drysuit in terms of quality, and when it comes to protecting your life in the river i'd say they are worth the investment.

• PROS:

- Efficiency; it does what it says by keeping you warm, allow you to move quite well, seems durable and dries very rapidly. 

- Design; it looks great, the panels are well placed to allow for your arms and legs to move well, it doesn't feel too bulky. It's definitely designed for surfing.

- I wish i had tried the 3 brand models aforementioned but hey, shit happens and i don't regret this buy. Apparently Rip Curl fits most body types when O'Neill favors thinner silhouettes, at 1.78m and about 83kgs this one fits me like a second skin but you should always try one on before buying, we all have different curves right!

#RipCurl #RiverSUP #winterSUP #astralfootwear

| M-7 snowskates...

Okay now i'm excited about winter again! Today I've just received a package from Kurt Zapata of Minus Seven Snowskates and guess what was in the box? The brand new 2016 Parkore snubnose 38" blades with the improved tip & tail skate flex. I already had some Parkore subs before but they were warped unfortunately (see review here) and he wanted to replace them, so i suppose that's why the box contained two models :)

Thank you so much Kurt, until today i was still into paddle-boarding mode but now you have activated the snowskate switch, damn!!! Those blades do look great, can't wait to test them, the shape of the tips is very intriguing and the flex seems so much better than my prototype. My cat Dim Sum doesn't seem to be impressed but i am, love the colors and raw punk style. #minus7snowskates 

| SUP surf...

After searching for a long time about inflatable SUP surfboards i finally found one; the Paddlestroke G-Rocker. I wanted something easy to pack to bring on camping trips, hence the inflatable choice, they also are more resistant than hard boards, less prone to dings and scratches and fun enough for a bad surfer like me. The size is going to be practical for our local waves and should have enough flotation to be stable under my weight.
Its measurements are > 7'2" long x 33.5" width and 5" thick. It costs around US$ 895.00 and it seems perfectly fit for beginner up to advanced river surfers.

valve bump visible under the nose...

I was first interested by the Badfish IRS or Cobra 6.6 but it was too difficult to get some answers from them or even Boardworks, on the contrary Greg at Paddlestroke SUP was very reactive and quite stoked to send its 1st board to Canada. Cool energy and it was very pleasing to deal with him. Now that the weather is finally getting warmer i'll soon go try it out, soOo excited *_*

| New M7 Parkore...

Today i finally had the chance to go see the Rollin Boardshop and it is a great boutique, there is a good selection of snowskates and Boyd Hill sub-skis, i needed a few Extreme Grip packs to put on a deck and ended up buying a Triple Eight Bumsaver padded short .

On my way back home i picked up a package that Minus Seven sent me... a replacement sub for my warped Parkore. What you see here is a UNIQUE TWIN PARKORE oh yeah and i'm going to test the shit out of it to see what it's worth. This could definitely become the new shape for this model.
I've had some very productive emails and calls with Kurt at M7 concerning my review of this board and he decided to make some changes starting with my replacement (see previous REVIEW). This is really exciting and tomorrow we are going to St-Bruno for a good session. Thanks a lot Mr. Zapata!

You can see on the left the regular model, it is a very wide 43" (109cm) sub with an asymmetrical offset design, on the right you can see the "prototype" and its symmetrical design, there is a bit more length from the inserts to the tip which should help in controlling the board, same overall construction but different core (the Poplar seemed to cause some torsional issues). It came directly with some risers and new Rocker Trucks so again, thank you for this cool addition :)

newly gripped deck all ready to shred!

OK then, here are my 1st impressions after a very cold session last evening (about -20°C) with some friends. All our boards were painfully sticking to the snow and some areas were icy due to the wind, certainly not the best conditions (and not the right wax) but at least the resort was deserted:

- Control > The ski is warped again, it's very noticeable at the nose where the tip ends up very twisted, this definitely affects the ride negatively because it is not really possible to evaluate the quality of my turns and the overall board control objectively. Riding was simply difficult and there are multiple parameters to take in account here (weather, material, dimensions... etc.) it was clearly not as bad as the previous model it replaces but it wasn't pleasing.

- Flex > It is way too stiff, although the nose was barely more flexible than the tail. This means that you can forget doing manuals, ollies were very hard to pop in the contrary of the original 43". Nollies on another hand were quite easy and pop shuvits too (frontside/backside). I couldn't land any kickflips due to the difficulty to control a basic ollie. I think the stiffness didn't help in riding either because with such a large waist, you need to apply a lot of force on your toes/heels to initiate a turn and the board was quite bouncy when carving toeside, which can be scary at high speed.

I was able to carve well on mellow slopes and softer snow but with lots of focus and it wasn't possible to relax without bailing, steep trails were extremely frustrating. I was extremely tired after only 2 hours of riding. Playing with different thickness along the extremities and the center of the ski could probably help manage the flexibility.

- Following the width issue, it is now clear that there is a better balance to find between the deck size and the sub. Yan (Harfang rider) and i rode it and we do think it needs a larger deck so you can put more pressure on the edges (overhang). As soon as i got back on my Lib/Harfang everything seemed so easy which clearly indicates that the Parkore wasn't performing as it should be. As previously stated in the first review, the deck is nice and the proportions are good, increasing the width (~ 9.3") just a little wouldn't affect the feeling too much IMO but would definitely help controlling the skate. 

- Dimensions > Good, i definitely like the new shape of this ski, if it wasn't warped and had a more progressive flex i bet it would be really great. It is a short stiff stick and it does not absorb the shocks nor the distortions of the terrain very well for now. When doing tricks the new twin tip design makes more sense and is more pleasing to the eyes as well.

- Design and finish > This is a tough board, it can take a beating but despite the bulletproof construction there is room for improvements. The clear top sheet has some weird wrinkles near the inserts, the core layer and the cutting could use a little more polish. There are also some tiny gaps between the base and the edges sometimes.  It's nice to have the clear top sheet and base, i always liked the transparent construction where you see the core and different layers of a board however it would be even better with some cool graphics :-)

Kurt is probably a one-man-army so it's difficult to compare the control-quality of his products to a snowboard/ski company with hundreds of employees, technicians and super high-tech factories. It's very understandable that it's difficult to be perfect and i see similar things happening with other companies like Ralston, Predog... etc. Even LibTech has had lots of delamination issues on their snowskates, i'm very supportive of this amazing community and the efforts they are doing to create those products, that's why i spend so much time riding a warped board in freezing night skiing conditions!

So again this is a wrap up for the review of the twin version of the M7 Parkore and let's not forget it is a prototype which will probably evolve a lot. I really want to see this model reach its full potential and become a classic freestyle snowskate.

T.

| 1st SUP day 2014...

The weather has been finally genial in the past few days, Spring is here despite another snow storm menace in the horizon. I decided to take the Sub-Vector 10 out and check the water temperature. It would be a good test for both my new Xcel Drylock neoprene boots and the Ocean Rodeo Soul drysuit.

So it all started well and putting on the drysuit was pretty straightforward, it has a very interesting unique design which makes it look like a 2-pieces snowboard suit and separates it from the horrible kayak/river usual drysuit type.

I ordered mine all black and grey and it's an amazing piece of equipment, waterproof/breathable, very comfortable and well adjusted, you can tell it's been designed by surfers (kite surfers and SUP aficionados alike). The service and advice at Ocean Rodeo were really good and the size (MK) is perfect, i am 1.78m (5.8) tall.

The UltraStretch booties by Xcel are 7mm thick and supposed to withstand even the worst winter surfing conditions, i was really curious about how they would protect my sensitive toes from the cold. It's definitely easy to put them on as the neoprene stretches a lot, they also have a thin sole too and overall the boot has a comfy snug fit.

Then, i took my PFD, neoprene gloves, my paddle, a GoPro and en route to the river which is about 4mn walk distance from our apartment.

The grass is starting to grow green again and the river is almost entirely free of ice in this area, it's reassuring but you can still see some floating translucent plates here and there, especially close to the shore in the shadows. I filmed my shaky entry in the cold water (12°C), the boots are working surprisingly well and the drysuit is really waterproof but you can feel the fresh walls on the legs, my hands were freezing in no time without the gloves. It was the 1st time in a while on my C4 and i forgot how small it is, hence very unstable for my weight, i should have taken the inflatable because it was windy and there were a lot of waves. It always feel a bit awkward to start over after so many months away from the water, my balance was way off, the paddle was slippery with the neoprene gloves and it felt funny but what a good ride anyway.
It was so windy in fact that when idle, the board was moving upstream and after 5mn of paddling i came across a large floating ice block and decided to take some photos, even though it was difficult to stand still. I took the camera in my jacket's pocket and try to take photos while keeping my balance ;-) of course the inevitable happened and a larger wave almost made me fall, the camera escaped my grip, in a classic slow-motion scene and... plouf... the GoPro Hero 3 disappears under the brown water without a bubble, it dove straight down as i laughed hysterically at my distorted reflection, no way i just couldn't believe it!
I do hate myself when doing stupid things like that, it was sooOooo predictable, how dumb! Now the experience tells me that next time i'll buy a floating pad or use a leash. This summer i'll try to dive to locate the camera, hopefully, if it doesn't move too much with the current or won't be hidden under a thick layer of mud. At least it was a nice day, i fell only once and was well protected, it's good to live so close to the water!

| REVIEW: Minus 7 Parkore...

I have received a new snowskate, the Minus 7 Parkore 43", a few weeks ago and wanted to write a quick review about it. Even if this harsh winter doesn't want to end, i had only rode it twice in different snowy conditions, at least just enough to give some early feedback.
My quiver is constantly growing larger but overall i keep coming back to the Lib Tech and this season the main change has been the swap from the Lib ski 43" to the Harfang 43", they are very similar anyway and the adaptation was minimal. Recently i took off the risers and my ollies improved instantly, that's the beauty of snowskating, the tiniest details make a big difference so keep experimenting!
Minus 7, a Californian based company has been on my wish-list for a very long time but they are quite difficult to get in touch with (FB is surely the easiest way), once in contact their service is great. They have a very wide sub and it's exactly what i wanted to test, unfortunately the season is almost over and trying new boards on the last days could be frustrating. On top of that Post Canada took almost 2 weeks to deliver it and made me miss a few good snow storms.
The board came in a well-protected box with lots of goodies inside (t-shirt, stickers, magazine and badges) so it was a nice surprise, the deck had no hole pre-drilled on the tail for the leash but the snowskate is ready to shred out of the box.

Next to the Ralston 41"/Rayne deck

• CONSTRUCTION:

The "new skool" symmetrical deck's dimensions are 9x36" (~22.8x91.5cm) with a smooth concave, steep nose/tail tips and clean round contour shape. It comes with the infamous closed-cell foam grip which is very comfortable and grippy but also quite fragile. You can always add patches of XtremeGrip if necessary (see on my other decks). I like the addition of the transparent grip bands on the side and nose under the deck to facilitate grabs and transportation, nice touch! The colors are basic but this is not very important for me in this case, though i think snowskating companies in general are really far behind on the art subject compared to any other snow-sport products, hopefully we'll change that soon and push it to the next level.

The Parkore comes directly equipped with the latest Rocker trucks Classics, they are solid and light and allow your ski to flex naturally, this is a must have especially if you count on doing tricks and save your board from early delamination. I really like the fact that without risers the board stands quite low from the ground (easier for balance) but you don't need extra clearance for hard turns thanks to the width of the sub.

The transparent base on the camber sub is a pleasant feature, you can see the wood core as well as the ABS sidewalls, it's thick and feels solid, dimensions are 43" (109cm) long and an impressive 5.1/2" (~14cm) in width (tips are 6.3/4"), see photos below. The only thing that i found weird is that pronounced asymmetrical offset of the inserts and edge cut, it didn't look that way on their website photos and sounds like a strange design choice. Despite having a thick sub/deck the board feels light overall, it's wide for sure and i couldn't wait to try it out.

• RIDE:

I went to St-Bruno for an evening session with my partner, it wasn't that cold but the snow was hard-packed, jumping on the skate gave me a good 1st impression and a large smile. However, as soon as we moved out of the chairs i almost fell right away??? WTF? ok ok it's a brand new board but man i have been trying new skates every year since 2009 and the differences were never that big. The rest of the evening was a mixed bag of emotions, from total disappointment (in my riding skills) to intense moments of satisfaction.

The board feels good on a straight line, it's comfy and quite reactive but you need to get used to the height and width which changes the way you put pressure on the edges as i expected, because the sub is so large it takes more time and attention to transfer your weight from one edge to the other.

The big problem is that i couldn't stop over-turning on my heel side like a beginner, GRRrr... you can't understand the frustration! usually it's the strongest side for skaters when you have to stop or rest and now i felt like Achilles, losing all confidence when going down and taking speed. I attribute that to the edge cut design and shorter tail, my back foot was putting too much pressure somehow. On my other 43" twin tip skis everything is centered and you place both of your feet in regards to the inserts and pockets of the deck, there are no surprises as the flex is well-balanced and the length of the sub-tips identical. Here everything is different, all your weight is put backwards on a very short section of the sub, it was very difficult to find some functional feet positions, although i was trying to move around like a longboard dancer.

During the second session, the conditions were different, softer spring snow and the experience was also much better. I kept over-sliding at low speed but it was easier to cut through the snow and to finally pushing the limits, but in the park aiming for the box or even the jumps was just too difficult so i went back to my Lib :-(

That day, the ride was quite stable and landing ollies was certainly easier, if only i could control this thing better!

On a more positive note i do like this board for doing tricks on a mellow slope, it kickflips easily and it's very easy to pop shuvit frontside/backside, the short tail isn't the most subtle option for controlling manuals but it works well enough (it reminds me of the Lib 39"). I personally don't understand why you would make such an asymmetrical design for a freestyle/park board, in my opinion it really is not a clever way to use the overall flex of the entire 43" length, it's probably better to offer 8 insert holes so you could move your trucks up and down depending on your preferences but at least you keep a consistent edge line between your trucks... anyway i really need to give it another go as it worked well in deeper snow.

• CONCLUSION:

I can see the wider subs beginning to be a pretty common option for park-oriented boards in the future, it's stable and more forgiving on rails, boxes and landings but you need to find the right balance of height /width with your trucks and deck, remember that it'll never be as nimble as a thinner ski. The Parkore has a really solid build, lots of nice details and an interesting shape, however i never felt really comfortable riding it at low speed on steep terrain - turning on my heel side - especially on hard-pack but that's a personal issue, i wasn't able to adapt my stance this time, am i simply too used to symmetrical boards and their predictable ride?

(UPDATE) I found out that my sub is actually warped a bit so it may be the reason behind the control issue! Kurt from Minus 7 is sending me a replacement soon (with a surprise).

My search for the perfect wide sub is indeed an ongoing adventure and I hope Minus 7 will make a twin tip version of their Parkore model because there is so much to like about it.

| REVIEW: BF Silk Infinity...

Et voila, another late bike review :-) this time it is about the stunning Silk the latest addition of custom folder goodness from the Oregon's based Bike Friday. I still have the Tikit (for sale!) but thanks to its previous review, BF asked me if i was interested to participate in their Beta-Test Program concerning a new secret model, well what do you think... YEAHHHHH of course i was!!!

So after a few emails with Eric Fischnaller, NDA, and approval from Hannah Scholz herself, i received the first photos of their prototype which was very interesting and exciting, the concept was clever, how to bring a new rear frame to the Pocket model (the original bike i wanted to buy from them) in order to offer different Carbon Belt Drive configurations?

• CONCLUSION:

WIP...

| REVIEW: BF Tikit...

Ok here is a late review of my stealth Tikit CarbonDrive Infinity made by Bike Friday (BF). Its code-name is "biquette", not only does it look like a little black goat but it has its agility, nervousness and capacity to climb almost everything. 

A little bit of context here; ...last winter i was thinking about buying a good folding bike to replace my current hardtail Kona Cowan. I used to do a lot of BMX and street riding in Bamako and Paris but eventually realized that mountain bikes and especially aluminium frames are not my cup of tea (it is for sale btw). On top of that i have way less time for jumps or tricks now, mainly commuting and following bike paths in Montreal, late March seemed like a good moment to shop for a more suited ride. My only non-negotiable demands were to have a chainless commuter with a rear hub to make for a clean, maintenance-free drivetrain.

After researching about folding bike manufacturers and reading tons of threads about the different models available today, i've contacted Bernds (very good service, nice bike options, similar to BF in a way, the only downside was the shipping price for Canada), Pacific Cycles (the iF Reach LX was on top of my list but its geometry does not allow a belt-drive integration) and Abio. I also had the opportunity to test ride my friend Gabriel's Jetstream P8, a Raleigh Twenty and both a Dahon Mu Uno and a Tern Verge at my LBS, just enough to give me an idea about how a folder feels like, and of course they felt funny.

Opening that box was a pleasure, i looked like a kid at the office. Everything is perfectly positioned and protected, ready to be used right after assembly, even the tires were inflated. You know you just bought a custom bike when there is a nice package inside waiting for you with a personalized card, booklets (even those from the different branded products you've added), candies and coupons. By the way, all BF models can fit in a suitcase/trailer for traveling which i may order in the future.
It took me a few weeks to finalize all the specifications of the Tikit i wanted in close collaboration with Eric Fischnaller, it ended up costing me about 3000.00$ (incl. 170.00$ of shipping costs)... and yes it is a lot of money for such a little bike, add on top of that some horrible Canadian custom/brokerage fees of about 400$ and then you have it! It hurts but i didn't regret it when riding the streets of Montréal it's a different bike for sure and i love watching all the details and parts of the frame, its quick fold never cease to amaze me and the people around too. Remember that it is among the first generation of folders to accept both a carbon belt and a NuVinci, in time belt-driven bikes will certainly be cheaper.
There is an unending heated debate concerning Dahon VS Brompton VS BF, if you want some of their well-equipped models it will eventually cost you a leg, and after that it's a question of personal preferences, size and wallet.
In general, the frame (size L) is stiff and really well built, it accepts standard parts and accessories like my Thomson seatpost. The infamous "weakness" of the Tikit seems to be the flexible stem post, but i can say that it actually is a good thing  and soften the ride a bit without sacrificing confidence. Rolling on 16" wheels is honestly quite rough even if this bike just ride better than the 20" Dahon and Tern that i've tried.

I really like how the front flat bar looks and feels with its side "horns", same goes for the efficient Shimano Deore 590 levers and the silver Incredibell is a neat little detail, seamlessly integrated with the comfortable Ergon grips and is quite loud. The only things that aren't on par with the rest of the bike are maybe the fenders but i've learned to appreciate them under heavy rains :-)
The stock BF saddle is not really impressive, but it does the job well for short distances nonetheless so we'll keep it for now.

In this configuration, the combo NuVinci/Gates belt is about 20.0 to 72.00 gear inches. It's pretty low and you can reach your top speed very rapidly, however the ride is excellent and the acceleration amazing thanks to the small wheels and the carbon belt tension, you can definitely climb the steepest hills but don't count on racing!
In short, i love it! it was worth the investment and i don't regret the choice to support a smaller/greener and customer-oriented  company that makes arguably some of the best folders. Thanks a lot Eric for your time and help, Bike Friday's outstanding service reputation has [for my part] been respected.

• CONS:

-  It's not cheap despite being mostly customized and really well equipped. i always feel quite ashamed to tell the real price because i already know the consequent reaction. People just don't get it and it's difficult to justify the value of what they perceive as a small toy.

- Low gearing range... at least for now because the choice is pretty limited, as soon as Gates will be making different sprockets and belts due to the increasing popularity of the system then i'll upgrade it.

- Safety; it does look unique and expensive and i'm scared to let it stay outside for too long, especially in Montreal (a paradise for bike thieves) Good thing i have detachable MKS EZY promenade pedals that i take away with me, and when folded it looks kind of broken which in this case isn't a bad thing :-)

- 16' wheels are small, you can really feel the ground and the tiniest cracks, it's also less easy to find different models compared to 20" wheels.  For example, no snow tires available at the moment.

- Some say the fold is not as "nice" as the Brompton or Dahon but it is not an issue for me.

• PROS:

- Well-designed bike, well-balanced and it's custom made for you. Mine is a bit butt-heavy due to the weight of the  rear hub when holding it up but it doesn't affect the ride, it's a beautiful machine. The beauty is in the details too, there is lots of engineering behind the frame and it shows when you fold it the 1st time.
- Drivetrain; i really like the visual elegance of a single-speed coupled with a rear hub, when you get used to the NuVinci N360™ it's difficult to come back, so simple yet smooth, reliable and silent.
- It's a bicycle but even better, it's a cool folding bicycle that rides like its larger cousins. You can take it inside your favorite bar, your trunk or your local bus! The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages IMHO.
- Stealth; my knees actually make more noise than "biquette", it sounds like driving an electric bike or a F-117 Nighthawk, though i can't testify the latter.
- What many consider "twitchy" at first, soon becomes "agility" and the last time i took my mountain bike, it felt like riding a slow tank.
- It folds well and incredibly fast even without the Hyperfold mechanism, the great thing is being able to push it while folded.
- Practical; No need to adjust anything when you fold it, the bar and seat keep their respective positions.
- Social; i don't know if it's a good thing or not but you'll get noticed and will have to answer lots of redundant questions, although it's a fun way to meet new people.

• CONCLUSION

If you do ask me, then my answer would be "yes i would recommended it" this Tikit model is a great but expensive urban commuter, what it lacks in speed, it shines in fun, convenience and craftsmanship. Remember that it's been configured for my tastes, my size and weight. Please don't hesitate to comment and/or ask questions.

| REVIEW: Leader Voyageur...

Next year i'll move to a smaller apartment so we can get used to that limited amount of space before we jump to our real project. This will highly contrast with my current spacious loft near the Jean-Talon market, thus buying folding bikes and reducing our goods becomes a necessity. My partner wanted a used folder and we checked what was available in the surroundings, we were tempted by a Raleigh Twenty but decided to buy an 80$ Leader Voyageur from a nice old guy near Coteaux-du-Lac.

This bike was made in Canada by Victoria Precision Works and appeared to be pretty popular during the 70's/80's, it is very sturdy and heavy but was kept in good condition. The 1st thing we did is to replace a useless gigantic white saddle, take off a weird rear rack, problem is that the owner has made a DIY job with aluminium parts and planks and cut the original rear fender in the process. Here is how it looked on Week 2, after a super expensive crappy tune-up at Momentum velo, i had a better service on my Kona before but this was really butchered (check the front black cable below).

There are a lot of things that need to be changed on this bike in order to improve the ride; so i went to my LBS Dumoulin Bicyclettes (they sell Brompton, Tern, Dahon, Vela.ca and Strida), we are replacing the short one piece Chromoly crankset (child size), the original 40T chain-ring for a 44T, the brake levers, brake pads and also ordered a new bar.

The Voyageur has a comfy/casual ride if you are a small person, granted you got rid of the original bars, it's a bit slow and the original drive-train is not a good choice but overall the bike feels rock solid. Imagine that these are the original rubber tires from the 70's and they are still in great condition, i don't think we can count on any products today to last that long!